Boris Johnson calls for 40p top rate of tax

THE TOP RATE of income tax should be lowered from 45% to 40%, according to mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Johnson intimated he would like to go further than George Osborne's decision to lower the top rate from 50p to 45p in the last Budget, a move that will come into force in April next year.

The current state of affairs, he said cited in the Telegraph, was "uncompetitive", adding "that really needs to be addressed".

He acknowledged, however, that his suggestion comes at "a difficult time", accepting that "people won't like to hear it".

In spite of giving the prime minister his backing, Johnson openly disagreed with David Cameron, accepting that he may be unappreciative of his public call for a new tax rate in the face of criticism from Labour on the issue.